Messages in a communications network are often routed using a Signaling System 7 (SS7) protocol. Messages sent by a signal transfer point are received by a signaling gateway and routed to a voice gateway coupled to the signaling gateway. The signal transfer point identifies signaling gateways within the network by a point code that is configured in the signaling gateway. Each new voice gateway requires an additional signaling gateway through which messages are routed, and the signal transfer point is then reconfigured to recognize the new signaling gateway. Such reconfiguration, however, is time-consuming and prone to error.